What are 2 clinical signs of a tear in the superficial digital flexor tendon in horses?

Clinical signs of superficial digital flexor tendinitis are swelling behind the cannon bone, heat, pain upon touch, refusal to switch leads, and lameness within two to three days following the injury (LLC, HorseDVM). Lameness exhibited can be moderate, transient, or intermittent.

Can horses fully recover from tendon injury?

A: Recovery from anything but the mildest tendon injury can take from nine to 12 months. A severe tear will take longer to heal than a moderate strain, and an older horse will probably heal more slowly than a younger one. Placement of injury and the horse’s discipline matter, too.

Where is the digital flexor tendon on a horse?

The flexor tendons (deep digital flexor tendon, DDFT, and superficial digital flexor tendon, SDFT) run down the back of the leg from the level of the knee (or hock). The SDFT ends on the pastern, the DDFT ends on the lower surface of the pedal bone.

What kind of injury is deep digital flexor tendon?

Deep Digital Flexor Tendon (DDFT) Injury. Deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) injuries are a common type of tendon injury that occurs in performance horses. The horse’s DDFT provides support to the fetlock joint, acts as a spring that stores energy upon movement, and stabilizes the leg under full weight-bearing load.

How big is the deep digital flexor tendon in horses?

The deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) is in excess of 50cm in length in the adult horse, attaching to muscle above the carpus (knee) in the forelimb and the hock in the hindlimb.

What kind of tendon injury does a horse have?

Deep Digital Flexor Tendinitis. Deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) injuries are a common type of tendon injury that occurs in performance horses. The horse’s DDFT provides support to the fetlock joint, acts as a spring that stores energy upon movement, and stabilizes the leg under full weight-bearing load.

What to do if a horse has digital flexor injury?

“Everything becomes really thick on these horses,” he said, showing ultrasound images of digital flexor tenosynovitis. In addition to the ultrasound techniques, David performs synoviocentesis when he suspects infection, during which he collects and analyzes synovial fluid from the sheath.